2018 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[Melbourne_Blood]

That would be Wright, would it not?

I was thinking Peter Moore for some reason hAha bloody hell , it’s Friday , I need the weekend badly

[Ludwig]

I think one should always be wary of so-called "super drafts", especially a year ahead of time. Everyone was raving about this year's crop last year but the top end of the 2017 draft is currently looking very good indeed, especially for midfielders.

I reckon a lot of the excitement about this year's draft was based around the number of tall forwards in the top echelon. Now that things have settled, there do appear to be four tall forwards amongst the touted best seven. Max King's knee injury has taken some of the gloss away, but it's also a curiosity that the teams who currently hold the top six spots (leaving Blakey out of the equation), as a group, seem to need to bolster their midfields more than their tall stocks. Carlton just need good players everywhere but Curnow (and to a lesser extent McKay) make their forward line look like the area least in need of talent injection. Brisbane are well stocked with talls at both ends of the ground, while even the Saints probably have greater need in their midfield than forward line (depending on their view of McCartin's prospects). Gold Coast need everything and will probably take at least one tall but they do still have Day and Wright.

There was a lot of excitement in this draft, particularly around Lukosius, and that seem to generate talk of a super draft.

It is looking most likely that Carlton will take Sam Walsh, who appears to be as good as any of the usual #1 picks.

I thought at the time that the 2017 draft looked flat, in that it didn't tail off much as you went down the draft. It just wasn't clear if that meant it was flat and good or flat and mediocre. I was quite happy about that because pick 14 wasn't that far off in quality as the first few picks in the draft. It seems now that the draft was flat and very solid indeed. Pick 14 could have produce Ed Richards or Jack Higgins and the whole first round is looking quite good so far, and there are a number of players further down the draft who have shown plenty to look forward to, including our own Tom McCartin and Ryley Stoddart. I'm hopeful that Ling makes a worthy pick 14 once the dust settles.


-----------------------------

With Grundy, Macca and Naismith all signing on for next year it would appear that more than a few of our fringe players will be facing delisting. Towers, Marsh and Rose are looking nearly certain now. Most will say Foote will go as well, but I hope he gets another year. It's a shame about his injuries this year. He was starting to show a bit. Robinson and Newman are also subject to trade, but might just hang on.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Hey Ludwig

Obviously I wasn’t comparing Franklin now

I said in the draft

Both roughy and buddy at 17yrs of age “in the draft” looked another level

But the main point is that lower teams can't afford to take the risk of missing out on strong midfielders ahead of Blakey

There is a stack this draft

[Ludwig]

Hey Ludwig

Obviously I wasn’t comparing Franklin now

I said in the draft

Both roughy and buddy at 17yrs of age “in the draft” looked another level

But the main point is that lower teams can afford to take the risk of missing out on strong midfielders ahead of Blakey

There is a stack this draft

Buddy looked good, but I guess not as good as Richard Tambling.

Auntie, I'm assuming you mean can't afford on missing out on strong midfielders. But there are only 2 strong midfielders in the draft: Walsh and Smith. So I'm not sure where the strong midfielders will come from after that. Surely there will be some, but it's less apparent than in some past drafts.

The hype about this draft came due to Lukosius, the freakish Rankine and the King twins.

It's not out of the question that Blakey could be midfielder. If Cripps and Bontempelli can be midfielders, why not Blakey? He's played on ball and hasn't looked out of place at all.

[AB Swannie]

Very happy for Reg and McVeigh to have been re-signed for another year. It wouldn’t surprise me if Reg has been signed as a mentor for the young defenders in the NEAFL. Experience around the club is invaluable.

[Nico]

But let's say they swap pick 4 and get back our first rounder, say pick 13. That nets out to 822 value points, or equivalent to pick 23 for Hanners. How does that sound from a Saints point of view?

As I have said before; let Hanners go for his whole salary and no trade. That opens up salary cap possibilities and a space on the list to pick up a player from another club and look after Lloyd. I don't see why it has to be a trade every time.

[Markwebbos]

It's not out of the question that Blakey could be midfielder. If Cripps and Bontempelli can be midfielders, why not Blakey? He's played on ball and hasn't looked out of place at all.

Some time back, Horse referred to Blakey as a midfielder rather than a forward.

[S.S. Bleeder]

Some time back, Horse referred to Blakey as a midfielder rather than a forward.

Blakey can play anywhere . He's been linked to Jarryd Roughead but he's more versatile than that. I think we should play him in the middle like Fyfe, once he finds his feet.

[707]

As I have said before; let Hanners go for his whole salary and no trade. That opens up salary cap possibilities and a space on the list to pick up a player from another club and look after Lloyd. I don't see why it has to be a trade every time.

GWS did a fair bit of that salary dumping, mainly to Carlton of course who also took a much over paid Lobbe from Port.

Unfortunately Saints are bereft of likely picks in this trade, maybe next years second if we do need the salary dump for something we're planning.

As for Blakey, appears he can play any position including in the middle but after three years aren't we still waiting for Mills to graduate to there? Suspect Blakey will begin as a high HF.

[crackedactor]

GWS did a fair bit of that salary dumping, mainly to Carlton of course who also took a much over paid Lobbe from Port.

Unfortunately Saints are bereft of likely picks in this trade, maybe next years second if we do need the salary dump for something we're planning.

As for Blakey, appears he can play any position including in the middle but after three years aren't we still waiting for Mills to graduate to there? Suspect Blakey will begin as a high HF.

Just read on a website that Sam Reid of GWS Giants will be at Sydneynext year. This is the first I have heard of this! Is it true or maybe a typing error?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[707]

Just read on a website that Sam Reid of GWS Giants will be at Sydneynext year. This is the first I have heard of this! Is it true or maybe a typing error?

Poor reporting standard, they probably don't realise there are two Sam Reids in Sydney.

GWS Reid is dross.

[Markwebbos]

Jake Niall’s take on the Hannebery trade to Saints:

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...01-p5017u.html

“Dan Hannebery is a potential recruit, in what would indeed be a daring throw of the dice. But the Saints are reluctant to part with pick No. 4 in the draft, and rightly so.”

“It should not be part of any deal for Hannebery – merely picking up his massive three-year contract would be of sufficient benefit to the Swans.”

“Blake Acres and Luke Dunstan shape as trade bait, if there are takers. Jack Billings would fetch a nice pick, but as a player with some skill and a (latent) touch of flair, he’s probably of greater value to the Saints than the prospective pick.”